“I love my community, I love what I do, and most of all, in my position, I’m able to impact and grow my community, which is the most rewarding and best job you could have,” says Kristy Ratchford Crisp. A lifelong resident of the historic North Carolina city of Gastonia, Crisp started working for the city 25 years ago. Having served as the city’s Director of Economic Development for over a decade, she has an in-depth knowledge of the area and has been a part of numerous successful projects.
With a strong sense of all this area has to offer, Crisp says that knowing Gastonia’s history and raising a family here provide a valuable perspective on the ins and outs of the area. “Bringing that perspective into the position of economic development helps with understanding how to increase our overall jobs and investment in the community,” she says.
Businesses and industries interested in Gastonia benefit from Crisp’s serving as a single point of contact. Working in tandem with partners like the Gaston County Economic Development Commission, the Gaston Business Association, and others means companies don’t have to keep calling around for information. Having just one contact point means less red tape, faster responses, and less aggravation.
“As we know, extra time often translates into extra dollars that it takes for a business to get up and running, so we’re able to help them move a little bit faster. And that’s what we really are here to do: to help them get up and running as soon as possible,” Crisp says. Incoming and prospective businesses appreciate this streamlined approach.
There are several financial incentives in place for larger industrial customers coming to the area, including equivalent grants, which are provided as a partial refund of the property taxes businesses pay. This is especially valuable for new industries which are already facing startup costs. For Gastonia itself, this means governmental entities are never losing money. “It certainly keeps us both in alignment and on track,” comments Crisp. “Knowing that, our businesses are committed to the community and to being here for the long term.”
When businesses show an interest in moving to Gastonia or expanding into the area, Crisp acts as a liaison to help them navigate the permitting and development processes. Additionally, the city can put together incentive packages for projects in redevelopment areas, such as façade grants. “New and existing businesses respect these efforts,” Crisp says. “We help with retention, finding information on resources, coordinating businesses through small business centers, and working with the Gaston Business Association and the county.”
For industries and residents alike, Gastonia’s business-friendly environment and ideal location make it a great place to work and live. Just 22 miles west of Charlotte—the most populous city in North Carolina—Gastonia is in the center of the state’s Piedmont region and easily accessible by Interstate 85 and US Highway 321, by rail, and via the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, just a half-hour’s drive away.
Widely known for its many amenities, Gastonia has been recognized as an All-America City three times and is a recipient of the U.S. Conference of Mayors top Livability Award. Halfway between Atlanta and North Carolina’s world-famous Research Triangle Park, Gastonia continues drawing industries looking for accessibility, a strong local workforce, and supportive government and business partners.
Much like Crisp, Tony Pasour has extremely strong ties to Gastonia. Assistant Director at the Schiele Museum of Natural History, Pasour is a lifelong resident, and his family has been in the area since Colonial days, about 250 years ago. “As a museum professional and cultural historian, I’ve got an insider view of this community and a long view in a historical context,” he says. “That helps with the framing of what this place is, who these people are, and the underpinnings of the community’s identity.”
Hundreds of years ago, the area was inhabited by Indigenous peoples of the Eastern Woodlands. Pre-contact, they were the Catawba. Today, the Catawba River—which flows into South Carolina and becomes the Wateree River—remains a major transportation hub. Around 1740, settlers with European origins, mainly Germans, Irish, and Scots, started moving in from the North via Pennsylvania, down through Virginia, and through the Carolinas along the Great Wagon Road. More settlers arrived, many of them taking on the area’s first industry, agriculture.
“It was mainly subsistence agriculture,” says Pasour. “People were living two or three days from the nearest town traveling by horse or wagon, and they had to produce food or get what they could from the wild land to survive, except for a few basic things you would go to town for maybe once or twice a year.” Over time, crops such as corn, cotton, and tobacco took hold in the area. Industrialization saw the rise of textile mills in the late 1800s, with more families coming to the area to live and work. By the 1980s, industry began shifting as textile production moved to South America and overseas.
“We’re in the midst of, I would say, a 40-year change, and the region is now finding its identity again,” says Pasour. “There are a lot of people—and there is a lot of growth—coming in; I think it’s up to about 157 people a day,” he shares.
Over the decades, Gaston County has shifted from farming and textiles to other industries, buoyed by the area’s business-friendly practices, strong government, and access to land, water, and other resources. Honoring its past through areas like the Loray Mill Historic District, Gastonia is welcoming new industries such as health care, advanced manufacturing in plastics and machinery, food services, and other areas.
Working with the Gaston County Economic Development Commission on developing commercial and industrial commerce parks, Crisp says available land is another local advantage. “Because of our diversification, we’re always open to accommodate different industries who want to locate here,” she says, “and we see a lot of interest based on our proximity to the Charlotte Douglas Airport; in fact, we are probably closer to the international airport than some folks in Charlotte are, and being that close gives us a lot of advantages when working with international customers.”
On the residential side, the City of Gastonia boasts affordability and development that aims to keep pace with demand. Kuester Management Group was behind a recent major project called Center City Crossing. At six stories and 90 units, this multi-family apartment complex offers downtown living at market rates while other projects, like Trenton Mill Lofts, are also meeting the demand for local housing.
“We have a lot of great projects going on, commercially but also in multi-family,” says Crisp. On the business side, Gastonia is home to Durty Bull Brewing Company and will be welcoming Sugar Creek Brewing Company in a few months. “We want to be the destination for people to live here, work here, and obviously have fun here as well,” she says.
As Gastonia continues to evolve, its focus remains on creating a community where businesses can grow, residents can put down roots, and people can enjoy a high quality of life. From its historic industrial foundations to its growing mix of advanced manufacturing, health care, commercial development, and downtown housing, the city is embracing change while preserving the character that makes it distinctive. Its strategic location, available land, and collaborative approach to economic development provide a strong foundation for continued investment, while new residential and recreational amenities are helping ensure that growth benefits the wider community.
For Kristy Ratchford Crisp, the goal is not simply to attract new businesses, but to make Gastonia a place where people want to build their futures. As the region continues to redefine itself, the city’s combination of historical identity, economic opportunity, and community commitment positions it to welcome what comes next, affording it the potential to grow without losing sight of what makes it home.
